End-post protector



March 29,1927.

H. N. STAMOS ET AL END POST PROTECTOR Filed Oct. 29, 1926 llllllllllllllllllllll It il l n v lri lllllllllllllllllllll l. I l l II ll A A l l i ll 7 I awuemtozs; Harry 7K S'Z'zzmos,

fllexanlcr I. Siamos and Thomas WBr wn,

M I fipii Jllll Witness.-

Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

v 1,622,614 'rAfTEiN-T OFFICE.

fEND-PDST rRor-EeToR.

Applicatjon :fileduOctober 29, 1926. Ser.ia1lNo.z'145;023.

Unprotected end-posts such as are interposed between the-adjacent ends of rails have but a relatively-short l1fe,. as the ends of the rails-are -rouighiand by. their abrasive and crushing action soon destroy said endposts. Hence, when the latter are used as insulators for dividing a track into blocks for block signal systems, false danger signals are given, resulting in heavy expense to the railway company due to the unnecessary stoppage of trains and other causes, such, for instance, as locating the cause of the trouble.

An important object of the present invention is to greatly prolong the life of said end-posts by inserting protective devices between the opposite sides of each end-post and the adjacent ends of the rails, so that the latter will not come directly into contact with the end-post.

A further object is to form the end-post and the protective devices in such manner that the former will be held from shifting by said devices, which in turn are held from shifting by engagement with the rails.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of two rails equipped with an end-post and a pair of protective devices.

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical section of the parts disclosed by Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of an end-post with a pair of the protectlve devices spaced from opposite sides of said end-post Fig. 4 shows a modification of one of the protective devices.

Referring in detail to the different parts, 2 designates an end-post which is made of fiber or other suitable insulating material and preferably conforms in shape to the ends of the rails A.

4: designates the protective devices which are preferably similar in shape to the endpost 2, but are made of harder material such, for instance, as pressed steel. Each protective device in its preferred embodiment is provided at its upper portion with a pair of oppositely disposed retaining elements 6 for engagement with opposite sides of the ball B of the adjacent rail. Each protective device is also provided with a pair of intermediate retaining elements 8 engagement with the under surface of the base E of the adjoining rail. By providing the protective devices t with the retaining elements as shown and described, it is apparent that when in position upon the rails A, said protective devices will be reliably held from lateral or vertical movement.

The protective devices 4 are further provided with vertical protuberances and inden: tations 12, and horizontal protuberances and indentations 14: and 16 for interlocking with corresponding protuberances and indentations 20, 22 and 24:, respectively, at opposite sides of the end-post 2 for securing the latter from shifting vertically or horizontally from between the protective devices 4 when the latter are in position upon the adj acent ends of the rails. The protuberances and indentations are preferably in the form of corrugations, as shown.

By placing the end-post 2 between the protective devices 4 instead of directly between the rough ends of the rails, it is obvious that the life of said end-post will be greatly prolonged. It is also apparent that by holding the end-post 2 from shifting laterally or vertically that it will reliably perform its function of insulating the adjacent ends of the rails from each other. In Fig. i which shows a modified form 4* of the protective device, the retaining elements and the protuberances and indentations are dispensed with, the fish-plates or" other devices employed for securing the rails together being depended upon to hold the protective devices and the end-post in place.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that we have provided devices which are well adapted for the purpose intended, and while we have shown two forms of such devices, we reserve all rights to such. other forms and modifications as properly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with an insulator adapted to be inserted between the ends of two rails, a protective device conforming to the shape of said insulator and adapted to gfo'r engagement with I opposite sides {of .1 the .;web :6 of this adjacent rr ail. .F ach1pro- -tective. device is gful'ther provided with a retaining .element'lroiat its lowennargin for be inserted between the latter and the adjacent end of one of said rails.

2. In combination with an insulator adapted to be inserted between the ends of two rails, two protective devices adapted to be inserted between. opposite sides of said insulator and the adjacent ends of said rails, and retaining elements on said protective devices for engaging opposite sides of said rails.

In combination, an insulator having protuberances and adapted to be inserted between two rails, and two protective de- Vices adapted to be inserted between oppo- HARRY N. STAMOS.

ALEXANDER N. STAMOS THOMAS W. BROWN. 

